Why the total solar eclipse in April could be particularly dramatic. This year's solar eclipse comes at a time when the sun will be particularly active - more active than it has been in two decades.
The active Sun will look very spiky, like a "very irritable little hedgehog," said solar physicist Scott McIntosh. During a solar maximum, these loops are more common - and you may have the opportunity to find evidence of their complexity. Look for loops that leave the sunny side of the sun and reconnect to the surface, or incomplete loops.